Hi everyone.
i was wondering how to get rid of moulds on the wall? basically, the room had been vacant for a couple of weeks, and the humidity in the room doesn't help. the wall also has wet spots (like rain water? or water from the outside seeping through?). the room is on the first floor, and the mouldy part's the wall that separates the outside from the inside and has a window (louvre window? like the ones on jean nouvell's building in london).
anyway, should i paint over it? what kind of cheap treatment can i do beforehand to get rid of the moulds and to ensure the paint stays on. or what other options do i have beside painting the wall? will scrubbing the wall with a dry cloth/ brush suffice?
it doesn't help that tomorrow i'm having ppl (as in prospective tenants) coming over to view the room.. what can i do in such a small amount of time? thanks before!
short term: find a product like KILZ or Porter's Sta-kil to blanket the area. keeps staining from coming back through. but this is JUST for your meeting!
you really need to find and get rid of the source of the mold.
1 - get rid of the moisture.
2 - tear out all area of affected wall finish (whether drywall or plaster), let air out for a few days at least. longer if it's brick that the moisture has seeped into. then patch area.
3 - make sure you've gotten rid of the moisture.
mold is tough. as long as it has moisture and 'food' (your wall material) it will come back again and again. sounds like your space has conditions it likes.
if the water is coming from around your window, there's obviously a problem with your window installation, but it sounds to me like you might be missing a vapor barrier and the water is condensing at the wall surface. short of ripping out all your finish surface and inserting a vapor barrier, i would first use a chlorine bleach to kill the mold and clean the surface. then, sand prime, and paint with a mold-resistant paint (there are many). next does your HVAC have a humidifer? turning down your humidifer can make a huge difference.
I'd be very careful with this mold (or mould) issue as people (your tenants) can get very sick. It's a huge problem here in Seattle (where it's damp most of the time) - there are companies that specialize in mold abatement and they wear the full-on rubber "outbreak" suits and treat your home like a chemical spill. It's nasty stuff - particularly the black mold.
If your tenant get sick and can prove that mold was the cause and that you knowingly just painted over it = lawsuit.
i didn't read your opening post closely enough. as an owner you have an obligation to your tenants to fix the problem, not just cover it up with paint. in the long run you are also protecting your investment by fixing the problem.
However if you want to fix it then you have to treat the issues that create the condition for mold to grow. Basic science shows that wood has mold in it right from the get go but if its put into a situation where it doesn't get enough drying and its dark, damp and not treated it will continue to grow. Even new homes that are built quickly and don't have a chance to dry have issues. I would seriouly look at starting on the outside to see that water is not getting into the building and work toward the inside layer to see if you have proper air flow, vapour barriers, drying, its a big issue because it won't go away on its own, you need deal with it as a larger issue.
Or, just paint it over like all the other house flippers you see on reality TV.
I have heard from a mold specialist that the bleach will just make the mold 'angry' and put it into defense mode, causing it to release more spores. He recommended a hydrogen peroxide solution, which will kill the mold as well as being able to apply significantly less moisture.
The comment about Bleach is correct it just hides it and so for most builders its a quick fix but doesn't get at stopping the mold from starting again. Try Borocol 20 ( borax based ) its a great product, expensive but coats wood products etc and cleans and kills mold and then stops the spores from getting any further root in the wood and possibly festering again.
bleach does not make mold "angry" (though i like the imagery), and yes, it will kill mold. it's cheap and effective, but obviously if you do not take care of your moisture problem the mold will grow back.
Garpike, it's hard work standing on the scafolding like that all day with the drill in one hand hoping someone will take notice of a new product. Nice to be noticed...
hi all, thanks for your response. just to make everything clear, i'm not the owner. i 'accidentally' rent a mouldy room cuz i didn't see the room first b4hand (i know, stupid of me). because someone i knew from work used to stay there, so i thought if she lives there then the room must be decent. so now i'm looking for someone to replace me. i haven't lived/ stayed there tho.. but got 3 ppl interested in the room, thankfully. hopefully everything goes well..
i haven't treated the mould or anything, i just cleaned the whole room. apparently it hasn't been cleaned for who knows how long..
mouldy wall HELPPPP!!!!
Hi everyone.
i was wondering how to get rid of moulds on the wall? basically, the room had been vacant for a couple of weeks, and the humidity in the room doesn't help. the wall also has wet spots (like rain water? or water from the outside seeping through?). the room is on the first floor, and the mouldy part's the wall that separates the outside from the inside and has a window (louvre window? like the ones on jean nouvell's building in london).
anyway, should i paint over it? what kind of cheap treatment can i do beforehand to get rid of the moulds and to ensure the paint stays on. or what other options do i have beside painting the wall? will scrubbing the wall with a dry cloth/ brush suffice?
it doesn't help that tomorrow i'm having ppl (as in prospective tenants) coming over to view the room.. what can i do in such a small amount of time? thanks before!
Hang a rug or a huge wall cloth painting over it.
steven?
anyone?
short term: find a product like KILZ or Porter's Sta-kil to blanket the area. keeps staining from coming back through. but this is JUST for your meeting!
you really need to find and get rid of the source of the mold.
1 - get rid of the moisture.
2 - tear out all area of affected wall finish (whether drywall or plaster), let air out for a few days at least. longer if it's brick that the moisture has seeped into. then patch area.
3 - make sure you've gotten rid of the moisture.
mold is tough. as long as it has moisture and 'food' (your wall material) it will come back again and again. sounds like your space has conditions it likes.
if the water is coming from around your window, there's obviously a problem with your window installation, but it sounds to me like you might be missing a vapor barrier and the water is condensing at the wall surface. short of ripping out all your finish surface and inserting a vapor barrier, i would first use a chlorine bleach to kill the mold and clean the surface. then, sand prime, and paint with a mold-resistant paint (there are many). next does your HVAC have a humidifer? turning down your humidifer can make a huge difference.
see, this is why i can't wait to stop renting...
do yourself a favor, and don't cover it up... open up the wall and fix it right...
btw, it's mold
...unless you're in the uk, or maybe canada.
seriously?
wow, i never knew that... my bad... rock on with your mouldy walls...
Yes, Mould is a musician (Bob Mould), while mold is an organism. Although I suppose Bob Mould is an organism as well.
I'd be very careful with this mold (or mould) issue as people (your tenants) can get very sick. It's a huge problem here in Seattle (where it's damp most of the time) - there are companies that specialize in mold abatement and they wear the full-on rubber "outbreak" suits and treat your home like a chemical spill. It's nasty stuff - particularly the black mold.
If your tenant get sick and can prove that mold was the cause and that you knowingly just painted over it = lawsuit.
CYA
i didn't read your opening post closely enough. as an owner you have an obligation to your tenants to fix the problem, not just cover it up with paint. in the long run you are also protecting your investment by fixing the problem.
Ha ha ooops. Though this was about moulding. That can be a problem too.
Please excuse my behaviour...
Rip it down.
for a quick fix also...
one part bleach
one part water
mix in a spray bottle and spray the moldy area. then allow the area to dry/vent
use it as a renting feature..."bringing the outdoors in"...
work on the tag line.
uPgrade your drywall & more!
Run seriously!
However if you want to fix it then you have to treat the issues that create the condition for mold to grow. Basic science shows that wood has mold in it right from the get go but if its put into a situation where it doesn't get enough drying and its dark, damp and not treated it will continue to grow. Even new homes that are built quickly and don't have a chance to dry have issues. I would seriouly look at starting on the outside to see that water is not getting into the building and work toward the inside layer to see if you have proper air flow, vapour barriers, drying, its a big issue because it won't go away on its own, you need deal with it as a larger issue.
Or, just paint it over like all the other house flippers you see on reality TV.
I have heard from a mold specialist that the bleach will just make the mold 'angry' and put it into defense mode, causing it to release more spores. He recommended a hydrogen peroxide solution, which will kill the mold as well as being able to apply significantly less moisture.
I have mold on my nuts
The comment about Bleach is correct it just hides it and so for most builders its a quick fix but doesn't get at stopping the mold from starting again. Try Borocol 20 ( borax based ) its a great product, expensive but coats wood products etc and cleans and kills mold and then stops the spores from getting any further root in the wood and possibly festering again.
better bleach em mdler
bleach does not make mold "angry" (though i like the imagery), and yes, it will kill mold. it's cheap and effective, but obviously if you do not take care of your moisture problem the mold will grow back.
"uPgrade your drywall & more!"
here here. Thanks for the plug.
Ha. No problem. It was just up there staring down at the thread.
Garpike, it's hard work standing on the scafolding like that all day with the drill in one hand hoping someone will take notice of a new product. Nice to be noticed...
hi all, thanks for your response. just to make everything clear, i'm not the owner. i 'accidentally' rent a mouldy room cuz i didn't see the room first b4hand (i know, stupid of me). because someone i knew from work used to stay there, so i thought if she lives there then the room must be decent. so now i'm looking for someone to replace me. i haven't lived/ stayed there tho.. but got 3 ppl interested in the room, thankfully. hopefully everything goes well..
i haven't treated the mould or anything, i just cleaned the whole room. apparently it hasn't been cleaned for who knows how long..
hadn't
In that case, sue your landlord. After you win, you should be able to buy your own place & stop renting!
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